Store counter display stand



April 8, 1952 ROTHROCK STORE COUNTER DISPLAY STAND Filed Feb. 2, 1949 141. IAN E0 TH OC Q.

Patented Apr. 8, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STORE COUNTER DISPLAY STAND Lillian Rcthrock, Blytheville, Ark.

Application February 2, 1949, Serial No. 74,192

The present invention relates generally to devices for displaying articles for sale.

More particularly, this invention is directed to certain new and useful improvements in store counter display stands for small articles such as lipsticks and the like.

As is quite well-known in the modern merchandising art, it is highly important that articles offered forsale to the purchasing public be displayed in an attractive manner and be so arranged as to be readily identifiable with respect to such features as shape, size, color, price, manufacturer and the like. Furthermore, in the usual drug store or at the notion counters of department stores and larger shops, display space is frequently at a premium so that it is necessary to fully utilize all available display areas includingthe counter tops themselves. Unfortunately, however, small articles, such as lipsticks; cannot be scattered loosely upon a shelf or counter top without presenting a most un attractive appearance and without unduly en couraging the pilfering of these relatively inex' pensive articles on the part of petty thieves.

Accordingly, the present invention has for its principal object the provision of a store counter display stand for lipsticks or the like which may be placed upon a shelf or store counter in such manner as to present a very neat and attractive appearance and to make the articles themselves clearly and fully visible at all times so that the customer can readily make his selection and yet at the same time, so arranged that the lipsticks or other articles can be withdrawn substantially solely from the back of the stand, thereby discouraging pilfering.

Another object of the invention is to provide a store counter display stand of the type described, so arranged as to be virtually dust-proof, thereby protecting the articles visibly contained therein, but at the same time, capable of being easily cleaned and polished to maintain an attractive appearance.

A further object of the invention is to provide an article display stand of the type described embodying a relatively few simple parts which may be inexpensively manufactured and sold, and which may be readily assembled for use or disassembled for shipping purposes.

The foregoing, as well as other and further objects and advantages of the present invention, together with a clearer understanding of the precise nature thereof, will become more readily apparent to one skilled in the art from a consideration of the following detailed specification 5 Claims. (01. 211 ee taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof wherein:

Figure 1 is an over-all rear or back perspective view of a lipstick display stand in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse, cross-sectional view through the stand of Figure 1 taken in the vertical plane substantially along the line 2-; thereof; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary, detailed perspective view of a portion of the stand of Figure 1 showing one of the assembly joints between a tube and an end wall in disassembled condition.

Referring now in somewhat more detail to the drawings and in particular to Figure 1 thereof, my improved store counter display stand is seen to comprise a pair of opposite upright end walls Ill and i2, preferably placed in vis-a-vis position and each being formed of a relatively thin, flat sheet of a suitable, transparent plastic material. The precise material of construction of the end walls [0 and I2 is not at all critical, although since the remainder of the structure is transparent for a definite functional reason, it is also preferred to make the end walls H] and 12 of a transparent plastic such as an acrylic or vinyl resin or perhaps even glass, in order to enhance the over-all appearance of the stand. As shown in this figure, the end walls in and I2 are preferably provided with straight lower edges l4 and I6 respectively and along their other edges are smoothly contoured to provide convexly curved rear edges 18 and 20 and convexly scalloped front edges 22 and 24 respectively. The straight bottom edges l4 and I5 of the end walls Ill and I2 constitute bases or supporting edges for the assembled stand, and while the curved edges I8, 20, 22 and are not in and of themselves essential to the practice of the present invention, they are preferred from the standpoint of appearance and sales appeal.

Referring again to Figure 1, it will be noted that the end walls l0 and I2 are respectively connected at their inner faces in any suitable manner to the opposite ends of an elongated, generally rectangular strip 26, also preferably formed of a transparent plastic material. The strip 26 has several functions in the stand, serving both as a transverse brace between the end walls and also as a background or surface upon which suitable advertising indicia or the like 28 may be superimposed. Furthermore, the strip 26 actually has a third function which will be- 3 come more readily apparent as the description progresses.

As shown particularly in Figures 1 and 2, the stand in accordance with the present invention is also provided with a plurality of generally elongated tubes 30, 32 and 34 extending transversely between the end walls It) and I2 and having their opposite ends secured in the latter. The tubes 30, 32 and 34 are illustrated in the preferred embodiment as of hollow cylindrical cross-section and are preferably formed of a suitable transparent plastic material such as that previously referred to as forming the end walls In and I2. However, it will be apparent that glass or other materials may be employed in the fabrication of these tubes and that the latter may actually have any convenient crosssection such as a square or triangular crosssection, or may even be solid throughout their length. It will also be apparent that the tubes 30, 32 and 34 lying in a closely spaced, substantially horizontal position, serve to further brace the complete stand by adding strength and rigidity thereto.

Although the tubes 38, 32 and 34 may be secured in any suitable manner to the end walls l and I2, a preferred construction is illustrated particularly in Figure 3, which shows fragmentary portions of a tube end and wall just prior to assembly. As shown in this figure and throughout the drawings, each of the end walls I 8 and I2 is provided with a plurality of discontinuous circular slots 36 preferably extending completely through the respective walls and having discontinuities designated by reference numerals 38. Each of the tube ends is formed in such manner as to fit within these discontinuous slots, and for this purpose, is provided with a pair of notches 40, so located as to receive the discontinuities 38 when the tube ends are forced into the slots 36. When the tubes are thus tightly assembled with the end walls, by means of a drive fit or perhaps a suitable adhesive or the like, it will be noted that the outer faces of the walls l0 and I2 will present a substantially smooth and uniform surface, free of any projections apt to catch dust or snag the clothing, while the open ends of the tubes will be substantially sealed against the entry of dust or foreign matter by means of the plug-like elements 42 formed at the center of the slots 36 and held in place by means of the integrally formed discontinuities 38. It will also now be apparent that the engagement of the discontinuities 38 within the notches 40 will serve to prevent any rotation of the tubes 30, 32 and 34 with respect to the end walls It and I2 subsequent to final assembly.

Each of the tubes 30, 32 and 34 is provided with a plurality of holes 44 longitudinally aligned along the tube axes to form a row along the upper rear portions of said tubes. Directly opposite each hole 44, the inner walls of the tubes are provided with depressions 46 so that when a small article such as a lipstick 48 is inserted into one of the holes 44, its opposite end 50 will be engaged within the associated depression 46, thereby definitely fixing the position of each of the lipsticks 58 and tending to prevent relative displacement thereof which might otherwise tend to mar the over-all appearance of the display.

Referring now in particular to Figure 2, it will be noted that each of the tubes 30, 32 and 34 is so mounted between the end walls and I2 of the stand that the holes 44 lie generally to the rear so that when articles such as thelipsticks 48 are inserted therein, such articles will be inclined and will project rearwardly or towards the back of the stand. Since the tubes 30, 32 and 34 are also spaced rather closely together and are prevented from rotation relative to the end walls In and I 2 by means of the engagement of the notches 40 and the discontinuities 38, it will now be apparent that the lipsticks 48 can only be withdrawn from the stand from the rear or, in other words by someone reaching into the back of the stand. It will also be clear that the lipsticks 48 in the uppermost tube 30 can be easily grasped only from the back of the stand by reason of the location of the transverse strip 26 which constitutes an obstruction to anyone attempting to reach the lipsticks from the front of the stand. It will be apparent, therefore, that by reason of my improved construction, the lipsticks 48 will be at all times clearly visible to a prospective purchaser but cannot be handled or perhaps pilfered without considerable difliculty, and can only be withdrawn from the stand with ease by a sales person standing to the rear or having ready access to the back of the stand.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, I have provided tubes 30, 32 and 34 in equal number to the number of scallops 22 and 24 formed in the curved front edges of the end walls l0 and I2. Actually, this is not an essential feature of the present invention, but constitutes an attractive arrangement and adds considerably to the merchandising appeal of the device. Obviously, the stand may be readily adapted for the display of items of widely varying sizes and is particularly suited to such items as pipes, fountain pens, pencils, and tooth brushes, as well as to the lipsticks specifically referred to throughout the preceding description.

Obviously, numerous other modifications, alterations and deviations from the specific structure described herein as a preferred embodiment solely for the purpose of illustration will occur to one skilled in the art, without departing from the principles of the invention. Also, while only a single preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in detail, it is to be understood that numerous changes can be made in size, materials, and arrangement of parts without departing from the principles of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as novel and .desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A store counter display stand comprising transparent spaced vertical end members, an article support extending between and secured at its ends to said end members, said end members extending substantially to the rear of said article support, and a strip of transparent material extending between and fixed to said end members, and arranged in close proximity to said article support above and in front of articles which may be supported thereby, and extending upwardly substantially above said support so that supported articles may be easily withdrawn from said support only from the rear of said stand.

2. A store counter display stand comprising spaced vertical end members, a plurality of transparent article supports extending between said end members and attached thereto, said end members extending substantially to the rear of said supports, each of said article supports having openings into which articles may be inserted, such openings being positioned in the upper rear quadrant of said supports, said article supports being arranged in close proximity to each other and to the lower extremity of said stand so that a hand cannot be inserted underneath or between said article supports, and a strip of transparent material of substantial height extending between said end members and attached thereto, said strip being in close proximity to the uppermost article support, said strip being positioned above said article support and in front of said openings in said uppermost support so that supported articles may be easily withdrawn only from the rear of said stand.

3. A store counter display stand comprising spaced vertical end members, a plurality of transparent tubular article supports extending between said end members and attached thereto, said end members extending substantially to the rear of said article supports, each of said article supports having a plurality of holes to receive articles for display purposes, said holes being positioned in the upper rear quadrant of each support, said article supports being arranged generally one above the other in close proximity to each other and to the lower extremity of said stand so that a hand cannot be inserted underneath or be prising spaced vertical end members, a plurality of transparent, tubular article supports extending between and attached to said end members, said end members extending substantially to the rear of said article supports, each of said article supports having a plurality of openings having their axes inclined upwardly and rearwardly to receive articles to be supported, the lowermost of said article supports being spaced in close proximity to the lower extremity of said stand so that a hand cannot be inserted underneath such article support, each succeeding article support upwardly from the bottom being placed above and in close proximity to the next lower support and slightly to the rear thereof so that a hand cannot be inserted between said article supports, and a rectangular strip of transparent material of substantial height extending between said end members and attached thereto, said strip having its lower edge in close proximity to the uppermost article support in front of said openings therein, so that displayed articles may be easily withdrawn only from the rear of said stand.

5. A store counter display stand comprising spaced vertical end members, a plurality of transparent article supports extending between said end members and attached thereto. said end members extending substantially to the rear of said supports, each of said article supports being so arranged that a continuous portion thereof extends in front of the supported articles, said article supports being arranged in close proximity to each other and to the lower extremity of said stand so that a hand cannot be inserted underneath or between said article supports, and a strip of transparent material of substantial height extending between said end members and attached thereto, said strip being in close proximity to the uppermost article support, said strip being positioned above said article support and in front of said openings in said uppermost support so that supported articles may be easily withdrawn only from the rear of said stand.

LILLIAN RO'IHROCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 40,612 Owens Apr. 5, 1910 D. 144,331 Wemyss Apr. 2, 1946 857,763 Smith June 25, 1907 1,562,419 Bowen Nov. 17, 1925 

